Kings and Queens
by noahczerny
Summary: In group B, a group of girls is lead into the maze to find the exit they have all bee searching for. But the creators have another plan in store for them. Knocked out, the girls wake up in the maze to find it inhabited by boys. In the Glade, friendships are tested, but also formed all in the effort to find the exit and escape once and for all. Minho/OC. Newt/OC.
1. Chapter 1

Violet was clumsy, tripping over her own feet. Skidding to a stop, the girls behind her waited. Had she injured herself? She sat, crossing her legs to inspect the damage. The sole on her foot was starting to come apart from the shoe. She cursed under her breath, letting Carolina pull her to her feet. The taller girl frowned, looking ahead first before turning back to look at the girls they were leading. They were six in total. Six bodies likely to die at the hands of the creatures in the maze if they didn't complete their plan soon. It was a simple plan but they never counted on so many eager volunteers.

"Can you still run?" she asked her. Violet nodded, although as she started picking up speed there was a slight limp every time she lifted that foot in the broken shoe. Carolina began sprinting ahead as they neared a long passageway, Violet slowing her pace to make sure that Elle, a small girl of twelve, was managing to keep up with the rest of them. She watched her carefully, with that look of pure determination on her small face, like she was itching to prove herself.

"Keep up, kiddo" Violet called out. Carolina slowed as she made the next turn down a narrower passage on the left. Violet imagined what it must be like inside her head. Like gears moving inside a clock, or a key pushing the mechanisms into place inside the lock. Because the way was narrow, the girls had to slow to a walk, side stepping carefully and in single file. All was quiet except for Lacey's breathing, which became stuttered and short. One of the other girls clapped a hand on her shoulder, reassurance in the warmth of skin on skin. Even in the dark, the shared smile between the two was felt by all of them, the shared relief of a wider path coming into view was felt by everyone.

"Is everybody still alright?" Carolina asked the group, stopping ahead to catch a breath. Then she led them further in. Violet was beginning to be anxious. This was the furthest they had ever gone into the maze. Her eyes were darting all around her. Above them, behind them, even far ahead. Here it was silent except for the shuffling of feet and the exhaling of breath. She was waiting, counting on it, for their ravenous howls to break their human tempo. Perhaps she was paranoid. She preferred the word 'prepared'. If she had her way they would all be armed right now in this moment, but Carolina had argued against it, saying it would be too much for them to carry. Nevertheless, every minute or so, Violet's hand drifted to the knife tucked into the side of her belt. It was a mantra, calming her.

Carolina planted her feet all of a sudden, turning her head back to the group with a finger pressed to her lips. Worried, Violet moved forward to her side, staring ahead at what Carolina pointed at. First, it was one of them. One of the wolves with metal skin. It sniffed the floor of the maze, growling softly, bringing two more of its kind to its side. A hand was clamped over Elle's mouth before she could scream, drawing Violet's attention back to the end of the group, where down another pathway, another metal wolf was approaching slowly, it's nose high in the air as if it could smell them, and would charge for them at any second. Pushing the girls closer together, Violet made her way to the front of the line, speaking in low whispers with Carolina.

"We can't turn back the way we came. Any bright ideas?"

"No. But I think we should go left" Carolina replied. Her voice dripped with uncertainty and worry. Together, they moved forward, slowly like two halves of one body, the other girls falling into line behind them.

"I hope you know what you're doing" Violet mumbled. It was met with silence. This was no time for arguing. They were careful not to scrape their feet against the ground, worrying that the slightest sound might alert their would-be attackers. And one by one they slid down the path that branched onto the left, one that, thankfully, was free of monsters.  
As they continued at a slower, softer pace Violet wondered just how much control the creators had over them. Were they puppeteers pulling every possible string? Or were they like children staring at wild animals on the other side of thick glass? She couldn't help but think that somehow, for some reason the creators were leading them down this path and it gave her a sick tremble in her bones. She turned her throat to the clouds, inspecting the air around them.

And then she saw it. Strange to see a butterfly so far from the centre of the maze, the "Meadow" they called it; stranger still to see that the butterfly was following them, watching them with a keen eye.

"Carolina, stop!" she cried out, panic beginning to set in. she could feel the concrete weight of it in her bones. "We have to go back. Now".

"There it is!" Carolina said. She waved her arm in a wide circle, urging the rest of the girls on so that they could scope it out at a closer range. Carolina's head and heart were so focused on what was ahead of her that she didn't see what was above her. But Violet saw it. She saw it all. High above them, pieces in the walls began to crack and break away, leaving a dark gash of an opening for something more sinister. Black canons jutted out suddenly from that openings in the walls around them. They breathed a thick grey fog and it fell downwards like a veil towards the group of girls.

"Cover your mouths!" Violet screamed.

She was already sprinting towards a staggering Elle, catching her before her head hit the hard ground. But around her, the other girls were already coughing and shouting and trying to escape from something that couldn't be outrun. Violet sputtered a cough. Her vision was tainted with black dots and then smudges and then it was like somebody had draped a black scarf across her eyes. She didn't know when she fell to her side, but even in the depths of the blackness she could feel her skull throbbing and a gash on her forehead stinging.

* * *

She was the last to wake. Carolina shook her with greater force than was needed until Violet jolted awake. She blinked several times until she could see them clearly. She didn't like what she saw. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lacey bent over, hands on her knees and throwing up her breakfast. At her side, Elle was shaking as she sobbed, knees tucked securely under her chin. The other two, Heather and Nina, supported each other as they stood, just as blanked out as Violet felt.

Carolina had a loss of breath as she spoke, "Can…You…Stand?" Her knees wobbled as she rose to her feet. Instinctively, her hand shot out to Elle held onto it tightly like a lifeline.

"We need to get back home…quickly" Violet announced. The sky above them was a threatening shade of lilac; threatening because it meant that they didn't have much time to get back to the centre of the maze and recall the story to the rest of the girls. It was all any of them could think about as they picked up a quick pace. Carolina sprinted ahead, forcing the other girls to follow her lead, urgency and fear in every step she took. But as they manoeuvred through the passageways Violet felt as though something was not right. Like the feeling one gets when they get dressed and put their shirt on backwards. There was no time to think on it clearly.

She fell again. This time, nearly dragging Elle down with her. She groaned and pulled the shoes off one by one with haste. Elle laughed at her.

"It's no worry. I'll just get new ones" Violet laughed with her.  
The sky was a dark purple bruise when the maze entrance became visible. And the girls raced towards it with the last breath of energy that they had in their bodies. The second Violet's sore feet touched grass she collapsed onto the earth, breathing heavily and coughing up what was left of the fog in her lungs. The second they were inside, a loud mechanical whirring could be heard as the entrance, along with the others, began to seal themselves shut. Violet wondered about that too.

It was almost as if the maze itself was giving them safe passage before closing. Like before, this was not the time to worry about that. All she could think of in that moment was a cold glass of water, a peanut butter sandwich and some ointment for her bruised feet. Where she sat, she looked up expecting to see one of the medics approaching. What she saw was the last thing she ever expected to see. Boys. Carolina pulled her to her feet and back towards the closed maze entrance.

The girls huddled together like this for what felt like ten minutes; watching the strange boys and regarding them with a look of fear, confusion, and anger. They were outnumbered. Greatly.

A boy with dark skin and another taller boy with brown hair found their way to the front of the group. They wore the purest expressions of disbelief and shock on their faces, as if they were not seeing real people but ghosts. The taller boy stepped forward with his arms stretched outward, meaning he meant no harm. Violet didn't care. Her fist was already holding tightly onto the dagger at her waist, and when the boy took a step closer so did she but only to cut him across his palm.

A warning.

He winced, trying to apply pressure to the gash when another boy came forward with a white rag. He quickly wound it around his palm. He grinned like he wanted to laugh at her bravado. Another boy in the crowd, one with black hair and tan skin, smirked. He was definitely impressed by her. Violet locked eyes with him for only a second before she turned her gaze back to the first boy.

"I'm warning you. Don't. Come. Any. Closer" Violet emphasized every word as she glared at him. The other boy with dark skin, either defiant or stupid, took several steps closer. At that, Carolina unsheathed a much longer knife that was strapped across her shoulder and hidden in the depths of her blonde hair. She took a step closer too, pointing the knife where it was an inch away from his eyes.

It was not the knife that scared this boy but the red rage he saw in her eyes. He didn't know it but that rage was concealing a very real fear in her eyes. And she fought not to shed a tear.

* * *

author's note: so I'm posting this to see what the response is, but mostly as practice for the creative writing paper that I'm taking this semester. I hope you guys like it and comment on it.


	2. Chapter 2

"Look, we don't mean you any harm. I promise" the dark-skinned boy said. There was a softness to his voice that seemed to still Carolina's fury, at least, and she lowered the knife. But she still held it tightly in her fist at her side.

"Okay, okay. That's good. My name is Alby. This guy over here, Nick," he pushed Nick to the front, "He's our leader. I know you never meant to hurt him but you're scared. Trust me, we're just as scared of you as you are of us".

"It's more like suspicious of you. Where're the girls? What have you done to them?" Carolina questioned. There was a hard edge to her voice that only Violet picked up on. She was beginning to tremble until Violet placed a hand on her shoulder, supporting her.

"The girls? How many are you?" Nick replied. His eyes crossed over the group of them counting six in total.

"You haven't answered the question. Where are they!" Violet cried.

"There are no girls here. There have never been any girls in the Glade" Nick spoke softly, despite that he wanted to scream at her. He was still nursing his hand. For a second, Violet felt guilty about it.

"The Glade?" she asked. Although it was getting dark she could still make out the silhouettes of crafted structures, huts and gardens. Now that she was really looking at it, she realized that it wasn't their Meadow. There were now wildflowers and the air smelled bitter like smoke and trees instead of the usual sweet smell of honey their home used to have. At her side, Carolina saw it too. "This place is different…wrong" she whispered.

"Can you tell us your names?" Nick spoke to all of them. It was obvious from the way they looked, the weapons they wielded, that these girls weren't greenies. And he wanted to know every detail of the story. His eyes landed last on the two girls in the front; the one with wavy blonde hair and the other with curly brown hair.

"I'm Carolina and this is Violet" Carolina answered. Neither of them spoke anything else, signalling the end of the conversation. For now, at least.

"Well you must be tired and hungry," Nick's eyes fell to Violet's head where a nasty gash was bleeding like an open faucet, and then to her feet where he could see the dried blood beneath her toes, "and hurt. Violet, is it? Why don't you come with me to get patched up by the Medjacks? The rest of you can follow Alby to the kitchen. Frypan will give you food and water". Violent cast her eyes on Carolina and the rest of the girls. She didn't want to be separated from them but she followed behind Nick at a fair distance.

* * *

The Medjack hut was shabby and lit by candles around the small space. There were disorganized shelves full of ointments, creams, bandages and other necessities. Along one wall were several canvas cots that reeked of blood, sweat and mould. The Medjacks as Nick called them were Clint and Jeff. Neither had been present to see Violet and the others enter from the maze, and now there was a red flush to their cheeks and they didn't know where to look.

"Can you sit, please?" the shorter one, Jeff, asked probably too politely. Violet stared uneasily at the cot before she finally sat down. Jeff sat on a stool in front of her. Not far behind him, Clint was busy stitching the skin of Nick's palm back together. When Clint threaded the needle, she saw his eyes grow three times larger.

"I'm sorry. For that" she spoke in a soft voice, meeting his eyes. Then she turned her gaze back on Jeff, who inspected her feet as he cleaned the dried blood from the bottom of her feet with a damp cloth. The cloth she didn't mind. But she winced from the pain that came when Jeff carefully applied cream to the injured areas. When it numbed she let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding in. Next, he cleaned the gash above her eyebrow, applying the same stinging cream and covering it with a bandage.

"Now, you need a pair of shoes…" Jeff trailed off as he exited the room, Clint following after him. She could hear the excited chatter on the other side of the door but only for a brief moment. She assumed they were talking about her. The thought made her feel embarrassed and she brought her knees up to be tucked under her chin. From a window next to the cot she could see everyone gathered outside, eating by the light of a great bonfire. They were all chatting away.

The magnitude, of which they glanced over at her friends who were huddled together on their own, was very high and instantly she felt the need to protect those girls from the boys in their vicinity. That need was drowned out by the grumbling of her stomach. She hadn't realized how long it had been since breakfast and she was suddenly starving. Jeff returned not long after carrying a sneaker in each hand. Violet cringed, imagining where he'd found them, and who they once belonged to.

"I hope these fit you. They were the smallest I could find". She wouldn't say it but it was like wearing cardboard boxes on her feet. She nodded in thanks.

"Come on" Nick said. He stood and turned towards the same door they entered. She followed him out of the hut and towards the kitchen. It was another hut but far larger than the first one. It had a higher ceiling with openings in the roof to let out cooking steam. The kitchen occupied one half of the room, rows of tables occupied the other. There were some boys eating at the tables inside, who dropped their forks when she entered. She ignored them and their looks, her mind drifting elsewhere to the smell of chicken and vegetables.

A boy she assumed was named Frypan offered her a plateful of the food and she couldn't help but give a small smile. It may not have been her home but the food was enough to make her think it was. Outside, she lost sight of Nick in the crowd of boys. Her eyes searched left and right until she found the girls and sat down between Lacey and Elle. Lacey grinned and straightened her spectacles. Violet saw that one of the lenses was cracked but it didn't seem to bother Lacey at all. Heather and Nina sat opposite them. Nina poked the broccoli on her plate and shook it off onto Heather's.

There was some unspoken fear between them that none of them were ready to discuss. As if she was waiting for her, Elle rested her head gently against Violet's shoulder, her stomach full of food and her head full of dreams to be experienced. "Nice shoes" Carolina commented and it was then that Violet noticed just how bulky they looked on her. At that, the girls erupted with laughter, to the realization of some of the boys who glanced their way, certainly lovestruck. But none of the boys as badly as Minho who couldn't tear his eyes away from where Violet sat.

* * *

When most of the boys retreated into the homestead, Violet and the others were left to wonder where they would sleep. "There's no way I'm sharing a room with any of them. Who knows what they'll do while we're sleeping" Heather said in defiance. Nina nodded in agreement. They decided amongst themselves to brave the cold of the open night sky and as one, they hurried over to the bonfire in the centre of the field, and warmed themselves by it while it was still breathing.

Alby and some of the other boys returned later on with blankets that they shared with one another. Once they settled in Alby still lingered.

"I'm sorry we can't give you more. But get some rest and we will talk properly in the morning". His tone implied finality and order.

Violet nodded and turned to face Carolina who replied, almost sarcastically "Can't wait for it". But despite the warmth provided by the blankets and the fire, uncertainty was still wrapped neatly around the heads of the girls, and they slept in shifts. Carolina and Violet took the first shift into the early hours of the morning. They sat with their backs resting against a log, sitting cosily under two blankets. Carolina shifted the blanket so that her arm could point to the sky.

"At least the stars are the same here" she remarked, tracing constellations with her fingertip.

"The food isn't that bad either" Violet replied.

"How's your head?" Carolina asked.

"I'll live at least" Violet answered.

Silence passed between them for what felt like hours. It was a good silence, reassuring and comforting. Violet might have fallen asleep listening to the sound of it had Carolina not broken her out of it.

"What do you think this means for us? Being here?"

"I think…It means that we're stuck here for the moment. I think at first light we should go into the maze and retrace our steps. Maybe there's a secret passage that will lead us back to them. Maybe our friends are already on the other side waiting for us" Violet spoke.

"Do you truly believe all that?" Deep down, Violet didn't believe a word she said, but she lied anyway, "Yes".

It was bordering on two o'clock in the morning when Heather and Nina took over Violet and Carolina's shift. In her dream, Violet was barefoot. Her dark curly hair was loose and she was wearing a strappy dress. She was not a runner but just a girl, walking through the thicket of trees, waiting to make contact with the concrete wall of the maze. Only this time in the dream the she walked, the more the trees started to extend and bloom like a flower.

Then, she was jogging through them, then she was running and when she looked behind her she didn't see rows of trees but a long stone passageway, and at the far end of it was one of the mechanical wolves. It caught her scent and was speeding towards her. She tried to run but her feet were bruised and bleeding and each footstep left traces of blood like breadcrumbs. The ivy came down from the stars and coiled around her wrists, dangling her above the ravenous wolf like a dog biscuit.

And just as the beast readied itself to pounce, she woke up from the dream covered in sweat.

* * *

The morning light greeted her and she raised her hand to block it out with her palm. Moving to a sitting position, she felt a strong chill now that the fire had long since gone out and the blankets had been shoved off her. Carolina was already standing and stretching her limbs when Nick and Alby crossed the grassy field to meet them. Violet stood, shook out her curls, and yawned into her hand.

"Morning, girls" Nick greeted. With a hand, he beckoned Carolina and Violet towards them. Eager to get it over with, they both followed them.

Alby held the door open to what he announced as the Council Hall. It was a great round building. On one side were raised stone benches with a stage area on the ground. Violet followed Carolina and they sat side-by-side in the first row of benches. In front of them were a number of different boys. There was Frypan, whom Violet recognized, as well as five other boys with Nick and Alby.

Nick stepped forward. "I called this meeting of the Keepers to discuss what happened yesterday. I know we all had a bit of a scare. It was nearly nightfall and the doors hadn't closed yet. We feared the worst. We feared the grievers were going to tear this shucking place apart piece by piece. And then something stranger happened. Before your eyes are two of them. Look I don't know how you came to be here. Amongst ourselves we can't even come up with a good reason for why you'd be here. So, I'd like for you two shanks to fill us in with the full story, as much as you can tell us. You mentioned 'the girls' yesterday. What did that mean? How many more of you are there?"

Violet looked around the room at all of their faces. They were grim, confused and seemingly suspicious of the two of them. And then her eyes fell to Carolina, and she offered a small smile of encouragement.

"There are as many girls in the Meadow as there are boys in the Glade. We're like you. Trapped in a maze. Violet and I, we're only two of the girls who ran the maze to find a way out, to escape. Yesterday, we led a group of volunteers much further in than we'd ever gone before. We wanted to scope out the area, see what was protecting it, and then report back to our leaders before coming back in larger numbers when the time was right. But something happened. I didn't see it at first…" Carolina trailed off, looking at Violet, who continued for her "but we were ambushed. It'd never happened before. There was this fog. It smelled toxic. It was coming from inside the maze. I saw all of us, one by one knocked out by whatever this thing was. And when we finally woke up we had no idea where we were. As far as I knew we were still in _our_ maze. But it was getting dark so we ran to get home as fast as we could. We were just as surprised as you to find the entrance still open, and we were too exhausted to even think about our bearings. Then we saw you, and…".

Violet and Carolina sat quietly while the boys chatted in low voices amongst themselves. They strained their ears to overhear what they were saying but the translation was lost on them due to the exhausted use of strange words they used to get their points across to each other. That was the icing on top of the conclusion that the girls and these boys were clearly from different worlds. Nick turned on his heel to face them again, almost smiling.

"Well we don't have all the answers, but for now we've decided not to throw the lot of you back into the maze" a few of the boys chuckled at what Violet assumed was just a terrible joke. She was certain Carolina felt the same way from the sour look on her face.

"Now, let me introduce you to these shanks. They're Keepers, kind of like leaders, that's what we call them here". Nick spilled a long list of names. There was Winston, Zart, and Frypan, all of which were kind and friendly and kept a comfortable distance from them. Violet appreciated that. Then there was a tall broad-shouldered boy named Gally who looked on them with wariness and intimidation. The last two were Newt, who had a sweet face and dirty blonde hair, and Minho whom Violet realized she also recognized from the day before.

She wouldn't allow her face to show it but she thought he was handsome. When the greetings were finished, it was Gally, the frightening boy, who asked the question that nobody else had asked but would be ecstatic to know.

"So why were that far into your maze anyway? Why take a group of people into danger like that? Why was it worth it?" His tone was accusatory, as if he was blaming them for some wrongdoing they didn't know they had committed. A thought crossed Violet's mind that perhaps her only crime was being a girl, and she narrowed her eyes at Gally as she stood from the bench, Carolina at her side. Standing that close to him she realized how much taller he was compared to herself but she wasn't going to be intimidated by him.

And she spoke with a clear confidence as she looked up at him and said "because we think we found the exit. The exit to the maze".

At her words, the group of boys entered another flurry of conversation. Again, Violet couldn't understand a word of what they were saying and resigned to leaning against a wall, waiting for them to sound like less of a wild animal. When they finally finished, they regarded the girls, wearing matching expressions of worry mixed with hope.

It was the boy Newt who spoke this time. "Are you certain it was the exit out of the maze? Could you find it again?" his question seemed desperate, as were his eyes. Like he was a starved man asking for a warm meal. The girls exchanged a look between each other before nodding.

"That settles it then. For now. Newt, Minho, show Violet and Carolina to the Runner's hut. I want the two of you to walk Minho through every step and turn you took to find that exit. Later tonight, we'll call another meeting, and I'll expect the rest of the girls to be there and we'll discuss everything together then" Nick ordered, and then left the Council Hall with Alby at his heel. The rest of the boys filed out one by one until it was only Newt and Minho left. It was quiet for a moment before Minho headed for the door, followed by Newt and then Carolina and then Violet.

* * *

The trek to the Runner's hut wasn't that long but Carolina carried the conversation on the way.

"So, if Minho's a runner what do you do around here?" she asked Newt.

"Oh, well I work in the gardens here and there. But I was runner until I hurt my leg" his cheeks bled a rosy pink that stretched to his ears when he answered. Violet noticed it. Carolina definitely saw it, and she blushed too. When she asked how he hurt his leg, he didn't answer and the girl felt she had touched a nerve, and locked away that knowledge in her head so she knew for later not to bring it up again. Violet had anticipated the Runner's hut to be as big as the council hall.

But she was sadly let down when she saw it was simply that: a shack. Minho held the door open for them to pass through. Inside there wasn't much to see. A large table occupied the centre of the room and there were stacks of paper all around, likely diagrams.  
"Welcome to the Runner's hut. It's nothing special. Usually it just smells like sweat and feet" Minho joked. But Violet soon found that he was right and she wanted to pinch her nose at the smell that lingered in the air.

"This is every section of the maze here. We started by drawing it first, but then me and a couple of shanks had the bright idea to put this thing together" Minho said. Violet's gaze drifted to the model on the surface of the table. It was definitely more effective than drawing, and she was almost disappointed in herself for not thinking of the idea first. In the centre was the Glade and the outer areas were well-constructed versions of each section of the maze in great detail.

"It's kind of beautiful" she replied, grinning. Judging from his smirk, she thought Minho's ego might swell like a balloon and then burst. She occupied one side of the table, Carolina on the other side with Newt who continued to steal glances at Carolina. Violet felt a warmth by her side and turned around to find Minho looking over her shoulder, his expression somewhat serious now.

"So…where's this famed exit you spoke of".

Violent averted her eyes back to the model and as she inspected it she felt that same tremble in her body. Like something was wrong. Hey eyes scanned the entire model slowly, searching for the same passages that _her_ maze had. Horror was sinking like a ship inside her stomach as she pulled Carolina to her side.

"It's not the same. These pathways here they're more like a grid. And here, it's curling like a snake. Ours was more jagged and had more zig-zags. More asymmetrical. This isn't the same as our maze. It's different" Violent spoke as she pointed a nervous finger at various sections of the model. Her voice was barely audible and Minho strained to hear her. But he could see from her trembling hands that what she said wasn't anything good.

She fished her small journal out of her pocket and flipped to her drawings of _her_ maze. As she laid the drawings flat on the table and compared them and the model, she could see that the maze she had been running for three years of her life was not the maze that was before her eyes on the table.

"I'm sure that's not right. Just look again. You're just tired. I'm tired. You're not seeing things–" Carolina spoke, her voice worried.

"I know what I'd seeing. The mazes don't match. _Our_ exit, the one in _our_ maze…it won't be in here" Violet announced in a defeated tone. She was already walking away when the journal slipped from her fingers. But she didn't care. Where it landed, Minho picked it up. It was finely made, with yellow-white pages stitched together by hand inside a brown leather cover. He landed on the drawings of their maze.

His hope sank too. They were, in fact, completely different but that didn't mean there weren't similarities, or patterns in their maze that couldn't be found in his. Their knowledge still might be able to help them in a different way.

When he turned around to tell Violet this, he saw he was the only one left in the shack. He followed their voices outside where Newt stood a little far off from Carolina, who now held a sobbing Violet.

"We're never getting out of here. We lost our friends…our home…We're stuck here in this place. For good". Carolina wouldn't admit it but her chin trembled with the truth of it too, but she still refused to cry. At least one of them had to be strong for the rest of the girls.

Minho shook his head, pitying the two of them who had just seemed so full of hope five minutes ago. He was full of hope too. He looked past Carolina at Violent who was quiet as she cried. Her cheeks were wet and her eyes reddened from the energy it took her to cry out a waterfall.

He wanted to comfort her but he didn't know how. As he took a step towards them, Newt put a hand on his shoulders, reeling him back in.

"It's probably best to leave them to it" he said, "you'll just say something that will bloody set them off. And they're both pretty decent with knives" he tried to joke. But Newt felt it too, as Minho did, and he was speaking more to himself than to his friend as he led the both of them away and back to the centre of the Glade to deliver the news.

* * *

author's note: so the second chapter is definitely longer than the first. and just for the record i don't own the maze runner trilogy or anything, only my ocs.


	3. Chapter 3

When night came, the girls seated themselves along one of the tables in the kitchen. The meal Frypan and the other cooks prepared was the same as the previous night but somehow it smelled twice as good, and tasted twice as delicious. Violet, however, had an empty plate and it had stayed empty since they sat down to the notice of everyone around her. Elle titled her head to the side in a questioning look and then look around to the other girls in search of an answer for the older girl's strange behaviour.

"What's wrong?" Elle asked her. She seemed to shrink into the chair when Violet wouldn't respond.

Carolina furrowed her brow, obviously annoyed. "She's fine, Elle. Don't worry about it" she said.

While they ate, Carolina filled the rest of the girls in on the meeting with the Keepers. Of how it seemed that there were two different mazes and the one they were in was full of boys instead of girls. Elle fired a lot of questions at her. Carolina, heartbroken, found that she still barely had any answers. Most important was the underlying message of the whole conversation. As far as Carolina knew there was no way for any of them to return to their original maze, and the reality was setting in that they would have to stay in the Glade whether they liked it or not.

Heather threw a look of strong distaste around the table. It landed on Carolina and then Violet, whom she blamed for their predicament. But she was foolish enough to volunteer in the first place. Nina had half a mind to agree with Heather but locked that thought far away knowing there was more strength in unity. And what they needed in the coming days was shared strength if they were going to learn how to live again in this new place with these new people. Lacey, like the others was frightened; of both the possibilities that were before them and the reasons for what happened in the maze.

As Violet drank from a glass of water, she glanced over at the girl. Her glasses were beginning to slip from the bridge of her toes, revealing wide green eyes that were buzzing with endless theories. However, Lacey's mind bordered on the lines of being crazy sometimes, and she could have easily been wondering what spice blend Frypan used to season the chicken.  
As usual, Elle was the first to finish eating, earning a few chuckles from some of the older boys when she licked her plate clean.

Frypan, still behind a counter, called her over to him, and dropped another piece of chicken and extra vegetables on her plate. She beamed at him before running back to the table and burying her face in food again. Even though her stomach was beginning to grumble, Violet refused to eat for fear that she might vomit whatever she put into her mouth. Her stomach had been swirling like a paintbrush in water ever since that meeting in the Runner's hut.

She felt disappointed in herself even though she wasn't to blame. But she saw the looks on the keepers' faces; the hope that she and Carolina had the answers to all their questions. Without meaning to, she had spit on that hope, for the boys and the girls she brought with her, and she didn't have the slightest idea of how to fix it. She had spent a great deal of the day sitting in that spot by the trees. Even when Carolina left, she stayed there. It wasn't until Carolina returned after lunch with Elle at her side that Violet forced herself to stand. She had dried her wet cheeks on the hem of her shirt. But things had felt a little better, walking hand-in-hand with Elle back to the spot around the campfire. And she had messily braided Violet's hair into one twisting knot, and then carefully undid it when she realized it wasn't pretty.

When they were finished eating it was Newt who came to find them. "Everyone's going to the Council Hall. Nick's called a Gathering" He said. He turned on his heel and they followed him out the door. Carolina walked next to him, her knuckles almost brushing against his. He didn't pull his hand away. Neither did she. Violet fell into pace with the group and they bee-lined for the Council Hall. The feeling of being there was different at night, and when the benches were full of people. There were firelit torches all around the room and it was abuzz with chatter.

The conversation softened and then became quiet when the girls entered. They found seats together in the front row, the only seats that were still empty and had likely been saved for them by the Keepers. Newt joined the other boys that she had met this morning, coming to stand next to Minho who stood with his arms crossed over his chest. He rolled his eyes at the room like he was bored and had better things to do. Parallel to him on the other side of the room, Gally stood tallest above them all, his hands on his waist as he looked over the , his eyes landed on Violet and he held her gaze for a moment before Nick cleared his throat to speak.

"Now that you're all here and settled in we have a lot of things to discuss. So, listen up shanks! Something has happened that we never expected to. The Glade has girls now, stop getting excited!" he yelled when some of the boys cried out like wolves howling at an imaginary moon. He turned his direction to the girls, "And now that you're here you need to know the rules. The first rule is that everybody here does their part, whether it be cooking, cleaning, whatever, so long as it contributes to the wellbeing of the Glade and its people. I assume you all had jobs in your maze so tonight you'll decide amongst yourselves where you'd like to use your talents. The second rule is that you must never harm another glader for any reason. If anything does happen to you, you call for help or you come straight to me or Alby. If you do anything to hurt your fellow gladers you're likely to get a night or two in the Slammer, and I wouldn't recommend it. Or the punishment could be banishment if your crimes are unforgivable. The third rule is the most important. You're not to enter the maze under any circumstances. That's what the runners are for, they're the only ones who know it like the backs of their hands. Anybody else is likely to die getting lost or at the hands of the grievers. Do you have anything you'd like to ask?" he paused and waited.

When Carolina stood she spoke with conviction in her voice like a true leader. "In the Meadow we had the same rules and we enforced them pretty strongly like you do. But I think it would be best if we added a fourth rule to that list of yours. I think, at least for the time being, there should be a rule against romantic relationships between us girls and you boys". She waited to see how he would respond. Already in the audience, there were several sounds of annoyance at her declaration, proving her point exactly. Nick turned to the rest of the Keepers who, whether they really agreed with Carolina or not, nodded in agreement with each other.

"Sure. We'll add it to the rules of the Glade. Now. About jobs. Is there anything specific you wanted to be a part of here? If you want to you can trial a few of the jobs. It's what we make each of the greenies do" he replied.

They went through the girls one by one. In _their_ maze, Lacey had worked in the gardens. But she was one of the brightest girls that Violet knew and she surprised her by asking Nick if she could do a trial with the Medjacks. Violet remembered several times when she'd sprained an ankle that it was Lacey yelling at her to be more careful instead of their own medics.

Both Heather and Nina had chosen to continue their jobs working with the livestock. Many of the slicers in the back row of benches jumped up and cheered for the girls who were tougher than the rest of the gladers combined. In the front, Winston gave a shy smile but was just as impressed.

Elle picked at her fingernails when Nick came to kneel down in front of her. She had been one of the youngest in the girls' maze and because of it she wasn't trusted to take on any big roles such as building or medical work. She wasn't even allowed to volunteer for Violet and Carolina's expedition but she was small enough to sneak into the maze after them without their leaders or runners catching her.

"Where would you like to work, little miss?" he spoke in a gleeful voice. Her eyes hovered over all of the Keepers until she found the tall boy with a grey hoodie and boots that were caked in mud.

"I'll work with that one" she blurted, pointing a finger at Zart, keeper of the Trackhoes.

At last, Nick came to stand in front of Carolina and Violet. Without a second thought, and without asking Violet what she wanted, Carolina said "We were runners _there_. We'll be runners _here_ too". If the slicers had been excited, the runners scattered throughout the hall were overly thrilled and began to howl even louder than the slicers who had long since quieted. Minho didn't join in the shouts of his teammates but he still wore a smug smirk on his face.

He was looking forward to what these girls would bring to the rest of his group. Even more so, when he thought that he might get to run with them and show them the ropes. He was already striding the length of the room to greet them when he saw Violet pushing past Nick out of the Council Hall, followed by Carolina.

Nick, ignoring them, began the next chain of conversation, "Now that that's settled. Gally we're going to need the builders to make a new hut for the girls. They can't be sleeping out in the cold. And maybe a couple of doors for the showers too–"

* * *

Outside, the air was freezing and Violet wrapped her arms around her torso to warm herself. She hadn't realized how underdressed she looked compared to all the boys with their long sleeves and long pants. She hoped she would be able to send notes in the Box for better equipment because even the shoes she wore were beginning to make her skin crawl. Somewhere in the dark, Carolina placed a hand on her shoulder. She shook it off.

"How could you make that decision? Without even asking me first?" Violet asked.

"I thought it would be best for you, for both of us. We need to be back out there in the maze" Carolina said.

"Well if you want to go back out there be my guest. But you're doing it without me" Violet snapped at her.

"You're not serious, are you?" Carolina grabbed her by her shoulders and swung her around to face her. "We're a team. We started this race together and we'll finish it together. That's what you told me once, remember. I want to do this but I can't do it without you" Carolina insisted.

"Carolina, wake up! This is useless! It's all useless! You started this. You made me go out there in the first place. I always did what you wanted to do and I'm tired of it" Violet yelled. The chatter inside the hall became quieter.

"Violet, you don't mean that–" Carolina's throat bobbed.

"Yes, I do. I gave up three years of my life running that maze and it was all for nothing. Yeah maybe we could've made it but we're right back at the starting point"

"So what are you saying?... You're going to give up?"

"It's called knowing when to quit. Knowing when you've lost" Violet stated. There was a tone of finality in her voice that implied she wasn't going to argue any further with her. Then turning on her heel, Violet walked off to sit by the glowing embers of the open fire.

In the doorway of the Council Hall, Minho along with Newt and Alby had seen the entire fight between them play out. Had it been any of the boys, there would have been fists swung in the air, bloodied noses and dark bruises, and more boys scrambling to pull the two fighters apart. Somehow, seeing the distance and the silence spread between Carolina and Violet was more frightening than the sight of two boys pummelling each other to a pulp and none of them could imagine how the two girls would be brought back together.

Minho wanted to say something. The words collected in his throat but his mouth couldn't form them. Before Newt could stop him this time, he was jogging across the grass to where Violet sat cross-legged by the open fire. He was thankful to not see her cheeks wet from more tears. In the distance he saw what must have been the rest of the girls chasing after Carolina who stormed off towards the kitchen. He slowed to a walk as he came to sit down beside her.

"What do you want?" Violet snapped at him.

"I just thought I'd see how you were doing. This is the first time I remember seeing girls fighting. I was worried Newt and I would have to tear you shanks apart. That's what we have to do with all the others" he said.

The wind blew some of her curls into her face. His hand was itching to tuck it behind her ear.

"So, you heard everything then. Are you here to tell me that I was wrong?" she wondered out loud.

And without even thinking Minho blurted out "Well I'm not going to say you were right".

His cheeks flushed out of embarrassment, and luckily, she couldn't see it in the fire's orange light. Still, the flame of the fire matched the red flame in her eyes. And then she stood abruptly and rolled her eyes at him before storming off in another direction.

He cursed under his breath, "Nice one, slinthead, now she hates you for sure".

* * *

Later that night, Minho lay awake in the hammock inside his room, his arms folded across his chest. He tried to find sleep but every time he closed his eyes he replayed his encounter with Violet over and over again. He imagined it differently. Tucking her stray hair snug behind her ear, letting his fingers brush against her cheek as he tore his hand back.

And when she asked him the question he responded in a caring voice, "No. I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through. If it were me, I'd make the same decision as you with no regrets. But I wouldn't lose hope. If you don't have the strength to run anymore, you should put your faith and hope in the others like Carolina…or me. Because I'm not giving up and you shouldn't too".

He smiled at the thought of moving closer to her, letting her rest her head on his shoulder as they found a common ground. He took a deep breath and cursed, "Why didn't I shucking say that instead? I'm the worst kind of idiot". Then he remembered her leather journal. He fished it out of his pocket where he only just remembered he had been keeping it.

And in the faint glow of a candle he began to page through it. Every spare inch of paper was covered in colourful drawings of flowers and animals. Next, were the smudgy black drawings of the maze, along with written notes along the sides of the pages. Then towards the end were new drawings; what looked like tall buildings and the ocean, things she believed existed beyond the maze.

He wished deeply to meet the girl, the confident runner like him, who had drawn them.

* * *

 **author's note** : third chapter's finally up. i haven't yet decided how frequently I will update but I'm having to have most of them written before the semester starts at the end of February. I hope you guys like it so far. And for future reference, this story is set around the third year that the boys were in the maze, and will take place a few months before Thomas arrives later. Another change I made was that Nick will be a character until about halfway into the story too. I'll also be jumping around point-of-views for much of the time. I still have to go back and edit to make sure it's evenly distributed. Please follow the story and leave a nice comment I'd love to know what you guys think if it so far.


	4. Chapter 4

Two days later, a loud alarm echoed throughout the Glade, waking the girls from where they slept in the makeshift cabin that the builders had produced until they could make something stronger with the right supplies. Elle cupped her palms over her ears to drown out the sound. The boys began to gather around the Box.

When they rushed forward to haul open the metal cover, they found a cowering boy of fifteen who hid between two crates with his eyes closed. Gally jumped down and, too forcefully, pulled the boy to a standing position. The greenie was then thrown out onto the grass, surrounded by the boys. The greenie was panicking and started to throw out his fists when Nick sped to the front of the group and grabbed him by the wrists.

"Newt, put him in the slammer so he can calm down for a bit. Gally, start lifting out the supplies" he ordered.

There were numerous boxes of medical, food, and building supplies. Violet had no care for those. What she did care about were the last crates to be brought out that had words stamped into the wood: for the girls. She came to stand by Alby as he lifted the lids off with a crowbar. One box contained a large canvas tent to be set up, along with thicker blankets and pillows. Another was full of new, clean clothes and shoes for the girls to distribute among themselves. The third was much smaller and consisted of hygiene products as well as other things, like a new pair of glasses for Lacey.

The builders had started setting up the girl's new quarters while they fished through the other two boxes. Violet claimed a new pair of sneakers, as did Carolina who tied the laces tight as she put them on. She also wore a new pair of pants and had a backpack with food and a water bottle. She was going into the maze again. Their eyes met for a brief moment before looking away, refusing to acknowledge each other further than that. Around them, Heather, Nina and Lacey wore anxious expressions.

Neither of them had the courage to speak up about tension between the two girls. Carolina opened her mouth to speak but Violet was already walking away with Elle towards the gardens. Minho appeared at her side. "You ready for this, Carrie?" he asked. The dirty look on her face told him she hated the nickname. Together, they jogged through the entrance of the maze in silence.

* * *

In the gardens, Violet set about pruning the leaves of some of the taller plants. She kept one eye on the task at hand and the other on Elle whom Zart instructed to water the sprouts in the bed of soil not far away. The watering can was too large for her hands and she poked her tongue out as she concentrated to hold it. Zart was close by, wearing a wide grin on his face as he watched her. Seeing the two of them together, Violet couldn't help but see the similarities between them. Light blonde hair, icy blue eyes, round faces and deep dimples when they smiled. The resemblance was so uncanny that a thought crossed her mind that they were siblings.

"Hey Violet" Newt spoke, coming up beside her and helping her with her task.

"Hi Newt. How's the…greenie?" she asked, unsure if the word she used was correct. He laughed.

"That shank nearly peed in his pants when I put him in the Slammer. Nick's giving him the tour right now. He remembered his name bloody quickly though. It's Cole. By the way, what did you call them? The new girls?" he said.

"We called them tenderfoots" when she said it out loud she could see the comparison in their slang.

"She must be a tenderfoot then" he replied. He nodded in the direction of Elle who, having finished her task, followed behind Zart like a fuzzy duckling. Violet nodded in answer.

Elle had been in the Meadow for only a month but after the first day all the girls had begun to think of her as a younger sister because she was the youngest at age twelve. She remembered everyone always worrying over her. And whenever there was free time they played games with her to keep her company. Violet loved the girl like a sister too but deep in her heart she was angry at the people who put her in the maze. She was a small child taken away from her parents.

After a long while, Newt and Violet moved on to the herb garden and began to slice large quantities to be dried out for use in the kitchens. She rubbed a mint leaf between her fingers and brought them up to her nose to inhale the scent. She imagined it would make for a nice tea, if the boys in the glade drank tea. She thought of Lacey's flower garden back in their maze. She had lorded over it and protected the various roses, chamomile flowers as well as other flowers from buzzing insects. Some of the girls found it a pointless cause but Lacey had always defended the medicinal properties of her flowers. Violet thought she would have to bring up the idea to Zart later, as a small project for her and Elle to work on in spare time.

Hours passed by quickly and before she knew it was time for lunch. She sat outside in the sun waiting for Newt who left to fetch them some sandwiches. When he returned they dug into their meals.

"Violet, I couldn't help but notice you and Carolina haven't been speaking" Newt spoke matter-of-factly.

"We aren't seeing eye to eye right now" she replied.

"Do you reckon the two of you will make up soon?" he asked, mouth full of ham and cheese.

"No, I don't think we will. Besides, I'm not the one who did something wrong. Why do you care so much?" she said.

He thought for a moment before answering, "It's just that…See I noticed that Carolina doesn't look very happy. In fact, she looks bloody terrible" his voice sounded upset but he quickly added, "You do too".

"You're very perceptive" she implied. He noticed when her friend was happy, and also when she was sad and it bothered him greatly enough to talk to Violet about it. She didn't say it but she could connect the dots of just how much Newt liked Carolina.

* * *

Minho was surprised at how much he had to pick up his pace to catch up with Carolina as they turned left at another pathway. He could see on her face that she was concentrating on something, trying to outrun her uncertainties that she left behind in the Glade. When she saw that she was ahead of him she slowed down, enough for him to catch up. He was deeply offended that she was that much faster than him. He was also deeply impressed. No one could outrun him. No one. He could see in her eyes that she was making mental notes of all the turns, trying to relearn a skill set she'd once mastered.

They sprinted down a longer passage and then took the first right before they decided to take a break. Minho stood with his hands on his knees catching his breath. Carolina did the same and fished a water bottle out of her backpack. Minho sat opposite to her, his back against the cold stone of the maze, and rummaged through his own backpack for the sandwiches Frypan made him. He handed one to Carolina who ate almost as quickly as he did. He had so many questions he wanted to ask her. Most of them about Violet.

"So how long were you and Violet in the maze?" he asked, making conversation to fill the awkward silence. She finished eating and taking another sip of water before she responded.

"We'd been there since the beginning, so just under three years. I was the fourth girl to come up from the Box. Violet was the fifth. I was the one to show her around".

"Hm. Were the two of you always runners?" he asked again.

"No. I was working with the livestock. She was working with the builders" at that Minho raised his eyebrows, "Trust me. She may look small but she's actually very strong. I was the one who wanted to be a runner. I hated being cooped up like the chickens, and I practically begged her to join with me". She looked down at her feet. "And for nearly three years we got lost so often in there but as fast as I was, she was so much smarter and she always found the way back home. Even into the night we would map out the maze together on paper when everyone else was fast asleep. I swear even when I was asleep she would stay awake early into the morning thinking up new ideas. But the builder in her still wanted to build a ladder that reached all the way to the top of the maze wall".

Carolina started reminiscing and Minho almost regretted starting the conversation for fear that she might start crying. He didn't want to say the wrong thing to another girl. But learning more about Violet was beginning to feel like a guilty pleasure.

"She must've been pretty amazing back then" he smiled to himself. Carolina had seen it. And she stomped on him for it.

"Are you trying to get information about her from me? There are rules, you know. You feel like sleeping in the Slammer for impure thoughts?" she replied.

"Hey, I never said anything. Lay off, shank" he fired back at her.

Carolina stood, signalling the end of the conversation. Minho took the lead. They turned on their heels and raced back the way they came in silence. The afternoon sky was darkening when they re-entered the Glade. Things seemed different.

Frypan and the other cooks were preparing food not in the kitchen but outside on tables while the builders carried large logs to the centre of the field for the massive bonfire. Not far off, a few boys had placed a series of big stones in a great circle, for what, Carolina had no clue. And next to it were two large barrels of a strange smelling liquid. Minho noted the bizarre look on her face and laughed.

"What's happening?" she asked him.

"It's the celebration. We have one every time we get a new greenie. This month we've got seven…technically. It's gonna be a bloody riot" Newt answered as he came to stand by them. Carolina saw that he had dirt from the gardens smudged across his nose and chin and gave a soft laugh before Newt blushed, lifting his shirt to wipe it off his face. She locked eyes with Newt. Minho had half a mind to call her a hypocrite.

"Did you see anything new out there today?" this time Newt spoke to Minho who shook his head in response.

Minho excused himself and left the two of them together while he went in search of the showers. He reeked of sweat and dirt. He had for the last two days but the smell wasn't bothering him until now. After gathering some fresh clothes from his room, he trekked to the showers. He stopped in his path when he saw Violet stepping out from behind the one at the end of the row. The builders had made fast work of crafting doors on all the showers that went all around it and locked from the inside. Her hair was wet and she was wearing a clean thing that looked like a very short tee shirt and green trousers.

"Can we talk for a sec?" he called to her as she passed by him. He smelled lavender on her.

"About what?" she replied.

"About what I said, or tried to say, the other day after the Gathering. I'm sorry" Minho said.

"Okay".

"Okay? Is that it?" he scoffed.

"What else do you want me to say, Minho?" she sighed. He had the distinct impression that she was just as mad as him as she was at Carolina. He felt it was unfair. He didn't know what to say to that and when he wasn't responding to her she walked right past him without giving him a second glance.

He mumbled to himself, "You idiot" as he stepped inside a shower and locked the door behind him. Lathering the soap and washing the grime and sweat off his body and re-dressing quickly into his fresh clothes. He joined the rest of the gladers in time for Nick to give another one of his long speeches. He swore every time Nick opened his mouth there was going to be a speech of some sort.

"Okay, settle down you shuck-faces" Nick started, "This green bean here is Cole, and tonight we're going to give him and the girls the best glader welcome we can give. Let's enjoy ourselves tonight!" Alby shoved a glassful of that strange brown liquid into Nick's hand. He chugged it down without stopping, gagging for a second before howling like a dog joined in by the boys around him.

Minho found the rest of the runners sitting together as they always did. He thought maybe he should invite Carolina to join them. Ben, laughing from a joke another guy told him, handed Minho a plate of food and a mason jar full of Gally's secret-recipe drink. Minho chugged it down like it was a glass of cold water.

"How's Archie doing?" Minho asked him over the noise of the Glade.

Ben shrugged."Not getting any better. Still in the Medjacks' hut, but I swear Clint is so terrified of him that he wants him thrown in the Slammer". Minho nodded, and then went in for a second cup of the drink. It burned his throat as it went down but it was a good feeling.

* * *

Violet was glad at how easily the rest of the girls were fitting in with the boys of the Glade. It hadn't taken long for the rest of the girls to blend in and befriend the boys of the Glade now that the initial shock and fear was gone from them. Whether it was by choice or necessity, Violet didn't know. She looked around the festivity to see Lacey sitting in a circle with Jeff and Clint, her mouth moving quickly as she talked of what must have been one of her homeopathic herb remedies that they could rely on instead of the medicine that came up in the Box.

Nina was listening with the other Slicers to another of Winston's stories, her mouth stuffed with food. Heather had entered the so-called fighting ring and the boy who was her opponent made the mistake of going easy on her. She grabbed him around the torso and flipped him onto his back. She wasn't following the rules of the game but the boys who had gathered cheered her on anyway. Elle was stuck like a weed to Zart's side and as she reached for one of Gally's drinks, Zart lifted it away from her reach with quick hands.

Carolina was sitting with Newt, Nick and Alby, not really talking but not really listening to the conversation either. Violet sat far off from the rest of the gladers, sipping on a glass of water, watching everyone with an observant eye. She had never felt comfortable at these celebrations, even in her their old maze, and before she knew it she was walking around the crowd to hide near the girl's tent. It was quiet there, and darker too where she could look up at the stars and retreat into her thoughts.

She thought of Minho. He was blunt and stupid and she felt she was too harsh on him. Without meaning to, she saw him clearly in her mind, tall, muscled and with a cocky grin on his face. He had the sort of arrogance that she had hated seeing in some of the girls in the old maze. But on him, it was almost charming.

She heard footsteps approaching behind her and was surprised to see that it was Gally. He held two jars of a brown, chemical-smelling liquid in his hands.

"Is it okay that I'm here? I saw you walking off and thought I might keep you company" he said, his voice a lot softer than when he first spoke to her. His face was a lot softer too. Perhaps it was the shadows. She was surprised to see him but she didn't mind the company, so she nodded. He planted himself on the grass beside her, offering her one of the two jars.

"A peace offering. I know I wasn't the nicest to you when you first got here" he said. She took the drink with tentative hands and swirled it around before taking a sip. As it touched her tongue she nearly spat it out. He scoffed.

"I have…I had a friend who made something like this. Hers tasted far better though" she spoke in a soft voice. It tasted good enough to remind her of home, or what was her home anyway.

"You know, back in the Meadow I used to be a builder like you" she said.

"I find that hard to believe, no offense" he said, taking another swig.

"It was for a short time. If I remember correctly, it was a month or two? Things were easier back then. I didn't have to carry the weight of everyone on my shoulders. Only the weight of the wood and tools. My biggest concern was how deep the splinter was in my skin" she continued, taking another long drink, coughing afterwards.

"About the maze–" he said.

"I don't want to talk about that" she interrupted him. She took another sip of the drink. This time it was easier to keep it down.

"I was only going to say that it's okay. It's okay if we don't have an exit, and it's okay if you don't want to be a runner" he said. Violet rolled her eyes. By now, everybody must know about her and Carolina's argument.

"Why do you believe that?" she questioned. He could see curiosity in her eyes. The need to believe in something other than the maze.

"Because I think that the maze is just a dead end. It's not meant to be solved and we're not supposed to leave the Glade" he told her honestly, surprising himself.

"You don't want to leave? What about your family? Your real home? The outside world?" she questioned again.

"The Glade is my home, and those boys back there are my family. As for the world on the other side of the maze, who knows what to make of it. Nick, Alby, Minho…they think we're all trapped inside this place. I think differently" he said, taking a long swig of his drink until only so little of its contents were left.

"What do you think is out there, then?" she asked in a quiet voice. He looked at her then. Her eyes were glistening and her face was kind. Something flipped over in his stomach as he looked at her. He wondered if it was because of the drink.

"I think the world out there is messy and dangerous. I think we're better off staying here. And I think whoever put us in here, knows that we're better off in here. Protected inside the Glade and provided for by the Box" he said, again startling himself by how honest he could be around her. It must've been because she was a girl and girls were more understanding. He knew for a fact that the other builders would laugh at the way he was speaking right now. He had only just met this girl but found that it was okay for him to be vulnerable and true.

Her voice was like a whisper when she said, "I wonder if you're right". And maybe it was the drinks swirling in their stomachs, or maybe it was the way they looked at each other with a compassionate understanding. But his eyes dropped to her lips. He found himself leaning in closer to her and pressing his lips against hers in a kiss.

* * *

Carolina was glad when Zart joined her and the others in a small circle, carrying Elle on his back. The small girl hopped off and skipped over to sit by the older girl and had begun making small braids here and there throughout her gold hair. She paused, a question on her tongue.

"Hey Carolina, when are you and Violet going to stop fighting?" It was the way she said it so imply as if she were asking what was for breakfast or what time it was, that made Carolina really consider the question. She couldn't find an answer and only shrugged in response much to the disappointment of Elle.

"She's right". This time it was Newt who spoke up, silently encouraged by Nick and Alby. "This can't go on forever. The two of you have to sleep in the same room and then see each other throughout the day. Everyday. Do you really want to continue with all this bloody anger in your heart?"

Carolina wasn't angry. She was disappointed and hurt and embarrassed and she didn't have the slightest clue of what to say to Violet when she chose to speak to her again. She also knew that the fighting couldn't go on forever but this was unknown territory for her. She had seen other girls get into nasty disputes with each other in the Meadow. Hell, she had even seen Nina throw a punch or a slap at Heather when they had a heated disagreement. But never before had she and Violet gotten into such a fight and she didn't know what to do.

"I wouldn't even know what to say to her" she said in a defeated tone. Newt pondered for a minute.

"You tell her that you didn't mean to upset her. That if you're still friends you have to have the courage to put all this bad stuff behind you otherwise you'll miss out on good stuff that could happen in the future. Nothing works in the Glade without trust and friendship. If she's really your friend she'll come to understand that and find a common ground with you" he said. He had knowledge that seemed well beyond his age of seventeen. The message was received and Carolina had the tiniest urge to kiss his cheek as a 'thank you'. He looked as if he was waiting for it but she smiled at him instead and got to her feet to go find her.

"I saw her going to the tent" Newt said, smiling right back at her.

Carolina almost sprinted across the field to the square tent where the girls slept. She almost called out Violet's name when she heard shuffling around the back by the trees. She leaned around the corner and was shocked by what she saw.

Violet was locked in Gally's arms, kissing him like the thought of breaking apart might kill her. They showed no sign of stopping and Carolina wasn't about to get her friend into trouble.

She backed away from the tent, back into the rush of bodies either gathered around the fire or watching Heather and Nina attempt to throw each other out of the fighting ring. She made a bee-line for the barrels of Gally's drink and filled an empty glass to the brim and drank without stopping. Newt saw everything, and he was saddened by it.

He was so sure he had gotten through to her. He wondered what went wrong. He watched as she sat down next to Lacey and rested her head on her friend's shoulder. Secretly, he wished it was his shoulder she had come to.

* * *

 **author's note** : this chapter was super long lol I'm sorry it's been progressing really slowly.


End file.
